SKC Announces 5th Startup Plus New Material Technology Contest

On the 11th, SKC announced that it will select the 5th batch of companies for the new material technology contest 'SKC Startup Plus'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] SKC announced on the 11th that it will select the 5th batch of companies for the new material technology contest 'SKC Startup Plus.'

Eligibility includes prospective entrepreneurs, startups, and small and medium-sized enterprises with creative ideas or technologies related to high-performance, high-value-added industrial materials such as eco-friendly materials, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence (AI). Applicants can refer to the Ulsan Creative Economy Innovation Center website or the New Material Open Platform announcement and apply through the U-STAR website by May 12.

The final selected teams, around five, will be announced on June 2 after document and presentation evaluations. Selected teams will receive a total support fund of 100 million KRW and professional growth promotion programs to support commercialization. This year’s selected teams will also receive PR support such as promotional video production, as well as consulting and cost support for various industrial certifications including environmental labeling and new technology certification.

Since 2018 until last year, SKC has discovered a total of 39 startups and achieved results. Marine Innovation, a startup that developed a natural new material to replace plastic, was selected for the TIPS program and is actively collaborating with domestic and international companies. A-run, which developed a wastewater treatment filter using semiconductor microprocessing, and Nopion, which developed new materials for display processes, were selected for the 'SoBuJang100' and TIPS programs.

This year, the lineup of participating institutions in the new material technology-based open platform will be further strengthened. SKC is promoting cooperation with companies leading the establishment of an eco-friendly material ecosystem and specialized institutions in the eco-friendly field.

Additionally, SKC shares 40 years of expertise as a specialized materials company, including technology commercialization support funds, management know-how, and R&D infrastructure. Support is provided by organizations such as the National Academy of Engineering of Korea, Korea Technology Finance Corporation, Deloitte Anjin, Korea Startup Forum, and Sejong Law Firm in their respective fields.

An SKC official said, "Based on four years of operational experience, we will expand the participating institutions and support programs of the new material technology-based open platform to provide more help for new material startup companies to grow into promising enterprises," adding, "We will do our best to strengthen the ecosystem of Korea’s materials industry."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.